About Us
About Us
Climb On Equipment is an independent Canadian retailer located in Squamish, British Columbia.
Who We Are
Climb On Equipment exists to serve those who play in the mountains and work at heights. We provide trusted expertise and aim to create an inclusive experience to support patrons in their lifelong pursuit of vertical goals.
A clear view of the Stawamus Chief in Squamish, BC. Photo by Alex Ratson
Located in the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the Coast Salish peoples — Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), British Columbia — Climb On Equipment is a climbing, rescue, and work-at-height specialty retailer. We stock a huge selection of climbing gear and apparel, alpine camping and work-at-height equipment. We are a trusted member of the climbing community and have been providing advice and expertise with quality service since 1993.
Do you want to dive deep into gear knowledge and tech tips or explore local events and stories? We love these topics. Explore our many online resources found in the learning section of our website. Please don't hesitate to contact us for help from finding beginner climbing gear to getting the best equipment and advice for challenging rigging situations.
Over the years, Climb On has grown and changed, but some things remain the same, namely the dedication to climbing. Our owners are local climbers, our staff are climbers, and rather than diluting our assortment into new sports, we have deepened our commitment to climbing and all its disciplines with an even greater depth and breadth of assortment for people who work and play at heights. As our team has grown, so has our expertise, but we remain more committed than ever to serving our community.
Our Story
The Beginning
It started with George Hanzal, and $3000 worth of gear brought back from the outdoor show in Prague and sold from George's garage.
Escaping the Czech Republic in the eighties, George landed in Vancouver with no financial means, unable to speak English, and a medical degree not recognized in Canada. Nevertheless, he began to establish a new life, while his passion for climbing from his former life persisted. George was already a skilled climber and soon made his way to Squamish, where he encountered a dynamic climbing community, featuring notable climbers such as Peter Croft, Tami Knight, and Hamish Fraser. He lived in the forest beneath the Chief, took on various odd jobs to support himself, and with only a rack of nuts for protection, he climbed many of the hardest Apron routes.
By the '90s, George established himself in Canada. He met his wife Birgit during a climbing trip, and they started a family together. He was putting in long hours driving trucks for Cardinal Concrete but felt there had to be a better way to balance work, family, and climbing. Back then, Squamish didn't have any climbing stores, and since he was well-versed in climbing, he decided to take the plunge. With the fall of the communist regime in the Czech Republic, the borders opened up, and many of his climbing friends were starting their own businesses. He started his own venture with $3000 worth of gear brought back from the outdoor show in Prague and sold from his garage.
A Paul Bride photo of Climb On at the Chieftain Centre showing legendary Squamish figures - Joe Turley, Brian Moorhead, and George Hanzal.
The first Climb On retail store opened its doors on Cleveland Avenue in the mid-90s, where Lucas Teas is currently located. Over the years, the store relocated several times within Squamish but consistently featured a climbing wall and a new route book on the counter, inviting climbers to share topos of new climbs. The staff consisted of local "dirtbags", professional climbers, travellers, and friends, who all shared a passion for climbing. Customers would come not only to hear captivating climbing stories but also to select the latest in sticky rubber and swap tales while upgrading their gear. It was common to find a small group sipping beers and grinning with satisfaction from the pitches climbed that day.
George retired in 2006 and passed the reins of Climb On to Dan Butler, also known as "Montreal Dan".
Dan behind the counter at Climb On - 2nd Ave location. Photo by Thomasina Pidgeon
Dan Butler, Ashley Green, and George Hanzal. Photo by Thomasina Pidgeon
The store remained a small but dedicated climbing shop with a new route book always on the counter. It was still a spot for climbers to gather, share stories, and catch the latest news. On especially bright days, the store would sometimes close early, as Dan, being a climber himself, couldn't resist the allure of the sun on granite. By 2012, Dan felt it was time for a new chapter and handed over the store to Ashley Green.
The Evolution
With a few floor staff, Ashley started to refine and modernize the business by adding new inventory management and computer systems.
Young, driven, and with a keen eye for business, Ashley transformed the store. By 2015, she kicked off Climb On's e-commerce shop. The inventory got a fresh update, with vibrant climbing pants lining the shelves. As the business continued to evolve, one thing stayed constant: Climb On was still owned and operated by a passionate climber for local climbers.
Ashley's climbing career started when she moved to Squamish in 2003. At a young age, she had no concept of what rock climbing was, but she moved here to live with her parents and save money for adventure travelling. Quickly drawn into the local climbing community, she immersed herself in trad and multi-pitch climbing. Dreams of adventure travel morphed into dreams of climbing trips and while her parents eventually moved further away, the local access to climbing, skiing, and biking kept her in Squamish.
Ashley refining her crack climbing skills in the Smoke Bluffs.
Ashley enjoying splitter sandstone in Indian Creek.
Katy Holm joined the Climb On team in 2016, partnering with Ashley in 2017. From her background as an expedition climber and climbing guide, Katy believed that there is nuance to understanding the needs of climbers, and therefore value in growing a dedicated climbing shop. Instead of branching out into new categories, they focused on improving their offering to climbers.
Originally from Victoria, Katy started climbing at Fleming Beach in the '80s. Having freshly graduated from high school in the '90s, she could finally find time to make trips to Squamish. She remembers catching the Greyhound bus to Squamish with a small pack loaded with climbing gear, a partial piece of blue foam to sleep on, and a clear plastic tarp for shelter. At that time, the Chief was not yet a park and the “campground” was an undeveloped place where visiting climbers from around the world gathered to camp in the woods. Between her education and careers as a biologist, teacher, and buyer, her climbing journey led her to pursue expedition climbing around the globe — attempting first ascents and classic lines in places like Greenland, the Chinese Himalaya, the Cirque of the Unclimbables, Patagonia, Mount Waddington, and other areas in the Coast Range. Bringing the expedition mentality to Climb On has meant growing a successful specialty climbing shop.
Katy climbing on Moonlight Buttress in Zion. Photo by Fred Marmsater.
Katy climbing Freeway. Photo by Jeremy Frimer.
As a team, Ashley and Katy grew the business rapidly with Katy using her buying background to focus on store inventory and brand building while Ashley focused on store operations and business management.
They renovated the 2nd Avenue location in 2018 but quickly ran out of space for their growing assortment of products.
By July 2020, the pair moved the store into its present location on Cleveland Avenue. This allowed them to greatly expand their offerings in climbing gear, footwear, work-at-height equipment, as well as camping gear tailored to the needs of alpine climbers and road trippers. The store was bigger, but even more true to its core. If you walk outside the Cleveland Avenue location, the images that decorate the outside of the store, and the artifacts displayed, pay homage to the present-day and past-history of climbing in Squamish.
The new location "Opening Soon"
July 9, 2020 - The new location finally opened. A few months later, stricter Covid-19 lockdowns happened in Canada; Bernie Sanders stopped by to greet masked customers.
The Climb On storefront with images paying homage to the present-day climbing in Squamish.
Masked staff members keeping the dream alive during Covid times.
In 2021, Mike Palethorpe joined the ownership team. Climb On's success has been built on teamwork and each person's unique skill sets combine to make the business stronger. Mike brought over 20 years of dedication in retail with a deep connection to the outdoor industry across North America and Europe.
Mike's love of climbing spans decades and his passion for outdoor sports combined with the commitment to the community added another deep element to Climb On. Mike's climbing career started at university in the '90s, and a taste of the climbing lifestyle led him to take a semester off to climb, backcountry ski, and work at a Vancouver gear store. Early road trips to destinations like Squamish, Red Rocks, Smith Rocks, and Fontainebleau ignited a lifelong passion, and he's since climbed across the US, Europe, and Southeast Asia. Despite busier crags and evolving styles, the friendships forged through climbing adventures remain as meaningful to him now as it did to him back then. He still holds a deep commitment to the values of a true mountain outfitter, offering gear and advice exclusively for climbers, aligning with the values shared by the climbing community.
Mike ice climbing in Lillooet with Kris.
Climbing day with the Edelrid crew. Left to right: Tyrone Brett, Fritz Schäfer, Scott Milton, Blair Williams, Mike Palethorpe, Katy Holm, and Tommy Caldwell.
In 2025, Katy moved on to pursue new climbs. Ashley, the founder of the new era of Climb On, and Mike, with his long standing industry dedication, take the business into the future.
The Future
Climb On is globally recognized as one of the best specialty climbing shops in North America. This title has been earned through the hard work of dedicated owners and their exceptional staff team. At Climb On, we are committed to truly understanding the needs of our customers and the climbing community as a whole. As the sport continues to evolve, we strive to carefully curate the best gear to support your journey. Our commitment goes beyond providing equipment — we aim to foster meaningful connections within both the local and broader climbing communities. Supporting climbers across Canada isn't just our mission, it's our passion.
Mike and Ashley move forward, continuing their passion of supporting climbers across Canada and building the future of Climb On with the help of their staff and community.
Our Staff
From its inception, those that work at Climb On have been individuals with a lifetime of climbing experience, guides, route developers, professional athletes and those with a deep connection to both the sport and the community. Expertise and quality service remains core to Climb On. As we've grown, so has our team, enhancing our collective knowledge. We're proud of the people who have shaped this business into what it is today.
Ashley G
Read More
Ashley
Owner/Operator
Ashley moved to Squamish in 2003 and quickly discovered rock climbing. Trad climbing and multi-pitch adventures dominated much of the next 2 decades, and her desire to be immersed in the climbing community/outdoor community led her to open her specialty retail shop in 2010. She has since broadened her interests to include many of the Squamish outdoor pursuits like skiing, running, and mountain biking. Raising a family, working on the Climb On business, and participating in outdoor adventures pretty much sums up her idea of living the Squamish dream life!
Favourite quote: "It doesn't have to be fun to be fun!" —Barry Blanchard
Mike P
Read More
Mike
Owner/Operator
Mike brings over 20 years in outdoor retail and deep expertise in sourcing unique and hard-to-find climbing gear to meet the diverse needs of the climbing community. Passionate about fostering connections within the climbing world, he believes that Climb On serves as a hub where climbers can find the right equipment, share knowledge, and feel supported in their adventures. Mike enjoys crack climbing and long moderate routes, especially when it is followed by a swim in the local lakes. You can find Mike training at Ground Up or planning an autumn climbing trip to the desert.
Favourite gear: CAMP Goblin
Karina B
Read More
Karina
Store Manager
Karina moved to BC in 2010 after a climbing vacation to Squamish in the summer of 2009. She wanted to be closer to the coastal mountains and pursue her passions of rock climbing and adventure. Apart from Climb On, you'll find her running or biking in the lush, mossy forests, climbing and scrambling the beautiful crags and peaks and skiing above the trees.
Favourite thought: The Four C's. "I believe that the four "C's" will make any day a great day! Climbing! Coffee! Cats! Cookies!"
Yuki K
Read More
Yuki
Product Manager
Yuki was born and raised in Japan. She started climbing in Red Rocks, Las Vegas, where she attended the university. She moved to Squamish after university and it has been her home since then. She loves crack climbing and alpine missions in the summertime. During the winter, you can find her skiing in the backcountry or training in the gym.
Favourite gear: Black Totem Cam
Kris W
Read More
Kris
Professional Sales Manager
Kris was drawn to Squamish in 1998 because of his love of traditional rock routes on granite. His family enjoys the Sea to Sky's outdoor adventures all year-round. He loves to learn, and share what he learns with others through teaching and instruction. Kris has been certified as an IRATA and SPRAT Level 3 Technician, a Rope Rescue Instructor for EMCR BC, and an ACMG Rock Guide. He also instructs lift evacuation locally for the Sea to Sky Gondola. Tricky rigging challenges are his speciality, and he loves an unusual problem!
Favourite gear: Rock Exotica Aztek, Petzl Grillon
Tyrone B
Read More
Tyrone
Product Manager
If you spend any time reading the history of the boulders or cliffs around Squamish, you'll notice the name Tyrone Brett. His name might be associated with frustration as you struggle on one of the Squamish '7 Terrors of Bouldering,' or with joy when you conquer a suitably sandbagged top 100 sport climb. Tyrone began climbing in the early '90s, contributing to the sport by developing many boulder problems and sport routes. These days, you might find him at sunny sport cliffs with his equally talented wife or developing routes with his kids. Tyrone has worked in the outdoor industry for over 30 years. Always gracious and passionate about climbing, and a positive member of the Squamish community, Tyrone brings an incredible depth of knowledge and expertise to both the industry and the sport. His insight and understanding of the needs of climbers and what climbers need help to guide Climb On to stock the products you want.
Favourite climbs: Special Forces Club (Route FA),
Missing in Action (Boulder FA)
Favourite gear: Boar Hair Brush
Soleil O
Read More
Soleil
E-commerce Manager
Soleil loves to use semantic markup, style, and scripting languages. For over 10 years Soleil worked for marketing agencies that took on big clients like Roots, Yum!, and Labatt, and built responsive frontend frameworks for their online campaigns. Wanting a better life pace and to spend time on alpine pursuits, she moved to Squamish in 2016 and joined the team at Climb On. Soleil has been instrumental in building and evolving Climb On's e-commerce store. When Soleil isn't working for Climb On, coding for personal enjoyment or in a volunteer capacity, she can be found with friends scrambling local peaks like Mamquam, Castle Towers, and Wedge.
Eric H
Read More
Eric
Marketing Manager
Eric was born in the UK and chased winter seasons before discovering climbing in 2001. He was on a skiing road trip through Canada and Alaska and stopped in Squamish. At first, climbing was just a summer backdrop to skiing in the winter, but he got hooked, and it became his focus. Eric moved to Squamish in 2004. He already had a BA in Marketing and soon added ACMG rock guide, combining marketing and guiding work. When Eric works as a guide or creates gear guides for the “Learn” section of the Climb On website, it is apparent that Eric both has an incredible depth of knowledge and enjoys teaching. His breadth of knowledge spans all types of climbing, "I enjoy all technical climbs, both physically and mentally, no matter the style — ice, bouldering, trad, or alpine. I love the experience and the process of solving the problems."
Favourite quote: "The past is kind enough to give you lessons. The present is kind enough to give you opportunities. The future is kind enough to give you both."
Happy place: Walking his dog, having coffee while playing chess, or on the sharp end when onsighting and giving it 100%.
Alex R
Read More
Alex
Media Producer
Alex first started climbing in the early 90's at the age of 5, with the enthusiastic support of his father. Throughout his youth, he was able to develop as a climber with strong mentorship from local climbers and guides. Not wanting to turn the pure act of climbing into a career, Alex avoided the natural path of becoming a guide and instead opted to combine a formal education in Cinematography, with his climbing skill, where he has now shaped a successful career creating award-winning photos and videos of mountain adventures.
Favourite gear: Petzl Nomic
Ethan S
Read More
Ethan
E-commerce Associate
Ethan moved to Squamish in 2022 with his eyes set on the boulders. After climbing most of his projects, he started to learn his way around the ropes. He currently hopes to continue his journey of becoming a well rounded rock climber. When he is not working or climbing, he is most likely eating sushi.
Favourite gear: La Sportiva Women's Miura Lace
Amy B
Read More
Amy
Product Manager
Amy was raised on the lakes of eastern Canada. In 2012, while living and working in Australia, she was introduced to Trad climbing and life as she knew took a bit of a turn. Two years later, Amy moved to Squamish, sold her kayak and bought a rack. Amy is an ACMG Top Rope Instructor and loves to find ways to be a mentor and advocate in the climbing community. She loves to explore and is always scheming the next climbing trip.
Favourite quote: "It is not the Mountain we conquer but ourselves.”
Favourite gear: Black Diamond Classic #8 Gold Stopper (aka “Goldilocks”...because giant whippers happen)
Siobhan W
Keiko U
Read More
Keiko
Shipping Operations
Keiko started climbing in her 40's when the gym, Ground Up Climbing, opened in Squamish. She wants to share her passion for climbing and show people it's never too late to start!
Favourite gear: Kong Panic
Tabatha R
Read More
Tabatha
Events and Operations
Tabatha grew up in Shuswap Lake and moved to Squamish in 2018 after attending the Mountain Adventures Skills Training program in Fernie, BC. Tabatha enjoys all of the climbing opportunities that Squamish has to offer and is excited to continue exploring new routes in the alpine and swinging ice tools, when conditions allow for it. She has gotten to climb in New Zealand, Iceland, Turkey, and throughout the USA and loves chatting to people about their upcoming trips. When time, and water flows allow, you can also find Tabatha exploring some local canyons. She loves bringing her crag cat, Lumi, along for adventures when doing single pitch climbs around town.
Ethan B
Sarah M
Angelica T
David F
Read More
David
Sales Associate
David left the green pastures of Ireland for the far more interesting and rugged landscape of western BC in 2023. He announced his arrival with the sound of jangling cow bells and is still recognised around town for climbing with his double rack of hexes. He has slowly adapted to the local way of doing things and will now grudgingly admit that cams are a pretty useful piece of kit.
Favourite quote: "A man doesn't go to drink coffee after climbing, coffee is an integral part of the climbing" - Wolfgang Güllich
Jordyn K
Ryan W
Read More
Ryan
Sales Associate
Ryan was born and raised in BC, growing up in the Metro Vancouver area. His first introduction to climbing was at age 9 in Smith Rock, Oregon, but it wasn't until after a few climbing birthday parties that he decided to pursue the sport at age 13. Ryan has primarily been a boulderer and continued to climb all throughout his time at UBC in the Okanagan. He spent a lot of his time in the Kelowna Boulderfields and Cougar Canyon while completing his Bachelor's of Health and Exercise Sciences. Once graduated in 2023 and missing the Coast, Ryan decided to move to Squamish to be closer to the granite, and has expanded his scope to the three different rock disciplines.
Favourite gear: Tindeq Progressor